Art Teachers Are Ready for Artificial Intelligence
Five insights from the 2024 National Art Education Association Convention.
There’s something thrilling about being in a room with hundreds of art educators. Maybe it’s their colorful, patterned “art teacher” clothes, or perhaps it’s something else — that comforting, inspiring presence that invites you to imagine and create. My own academic journey was transformed by art educators who empowered me with creative practices and tools for self expression. Through the arts, I learned patience, critical thinking, discipline, and that there is always room to see the world with fresh eyes.
Today, as foundry10’s Creativity, Design, and Play Team Lead, I have the privilege of supporting and partnering with schools, organizations, and individuals who believe in the transformative power of the arts for youth. It was exciting to see that so many of the big ideas my team and I are exploring through our blended approach of research, programs, and philanthropy were also priorities for the diverse cohort of attendees at the National Art Education Association’s National Convention.
The National Art Education Association (NAEA) is a pillar in the creative learning community. Since 1947, they have been a leading professional membership organization exclusively for visual arts, design, and media arts professionals. NAEA’s 2024 National Convention was held in April in Minneapolis, MN, and welcomed over 3,000 attendees to commune and share ideas that enrich the lives of all learners, particularly youth.
As a first-time attendee to NAEA’s National Convention, here are my top five takeaways from three action-packed days of sessions and connecting with peers across the learning landscape.
Art Is a Bridge to Youth Well-Being
Arts-based learning has the potential to intersect with and enhance nearly every subject. This conference was marked by a wide variety of sessions that brought this idea to life, with educators eager to share how they implement dynamic lessons in the classroom.
From “Out(your)door Learning Experiences: Integrating Place-Based Learning Into the Art Curriculum” presented by Hsiao-ping Chen, Sara Alsum-Wassenaar, and Megan Daniels, to Laura McCord’s session “Bringing Speculative Fiction Into the Secondary Art Room,” there was no shortage of cross-pollination in the curriculum.
Another common thread that emerged in the sessions was the idea that art can be a bridge to well-being. Practitioners and researchers alike advocated for creative pathways to improve mental health, promote social and emotional learning, and build confidence for youth.
Art Teachers Are Ready for Artificial Intelligence
At foundry10, we are curious about how AI will impact youth learning, and it seems art educators are, too. In Leslie Marie Grace, Jane Montero, Theresa McGee, and Jennifer Wargin’s session called “Putting the Art in Artificial Intelligence,” the room was bursting at the seams with attendees sitting on the floor in the aisle, craning their necks to snap photos of slides, and late arrivals standing hopeful in the doorway.
There was a hunger for free, useful resources that could enhance and expand their lesson plans and open doors for students and teachers alike. A rich dialogue emerged about the ethics of art and AI and how we can engage youth in meaningful conversations about this growing field.
Read: Research-Based AI Recommendations for Educators
The Arts Help Youth Find Their Voices
One of the guiding principles of the Creativity, Design, and Play team at foundry10 is to center and uplift youth voice in all that we do. By inviting students to consider materials and perspectives I believe the arts are uniquely able to do just that, especially when they are infused into curricula. Across the many sessions I attended, this was the heartbeat — the intention to elevate young voices and to build community through the superpower of creative confidence.
Youth Need New High School Pathways into Creative Careers
As career pathways and in-demand skills in the 21st-century workforce continue to evolve, it is necessary for youth to have access to high-quality, relevant education opportunities that prepare them for lifelong success.
In a session called “How CTE Pathways in Arts, Media, and Entertainment Change the Stereotype of the ‘Starving Artist’,” Gayle Nicholls-Ali advocated for more high school pathways to creative careers, especially in media and design, which can prepare teens for dynamic and rich professional lives.
Art Can Be a Catalyst for Community
In her keynote address, NAEA President Wanda B. Knight reaffirmed the organization’s priority to build an inclusive community of practitioners who are striving to build equitable learning opportunities for all students. She urged attendees to recommit to practices and structures that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the classroom and to look for ways to remove barriers that have traditionally marginalized students.
As my team and I grow our partnerships, it’s inspiring to learn from others who are also working to design and support inclusive learning opportunities for youth.
Learn more about Creativity, Design, and Play at foundry10 on our website.
